Journalistic Contacts
by MeredithBrody
Summary: The victim is a freelance journalist... so knowing a journalist is bound to be helpful. (ep tag for 2x02, spoilers included)


**So, this was written as an episode tag for "Shadow Unit" 2x02. Unlike my ep tags for the last year, this isn't actually Brody/Pride in any way. Pride doesn't actually even appear in it! This is written for Ana, whom I have trained well. As always, many thanks to my bestie PinkAngel17 (go tell her to post some more of her amazing stories, you won't regret it!) So. This is a little bit of a reimagining that Ana wanted, because we are all in love with Luke Mably (aka James). Enjoy!  
Shin xx**

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Brody only had so many ways to go when it came to getting insider information on journalists, and only one of them was guaranteed to get her anywhere. She tried the more professional routes first, then she gave in and tried the least professional route. She was sure he'd be pretty happy just to hear from her, even though she was fairly sure it was the small hours of the morning where he was right now. "Hey MB, been a few days since you called?" James answered her call sleepily, and she couldn't help but smile hearing the yawn in his voice as he spoke.

"Yeah, I got busy." She could elaborate, but she wasn't sure she should. Most of it was cases, and nearly all of it was somewhat classified. In person, she tended to tell James everything she could, but over the phone she couldn't be sure, so she didn't say anything. Sometimes she just needed to keep her cards close to her chest.

"Not with somebody, I hope?" James asked, and the hint of jealousy in his voice made her smile. It was nice to know, sometimes, that even on another continent he could be jealous like that. It had been a long time since she'd thought that, but it was nice for her now. She had decided to take it as a compliment, but at least this time she could assure him there was nobody else right now.

"No, not like that." She stopped at that, and after a minute she heard the breath of air that generally meant James had understood what she was trying to tell him. He was actually really very good at knowing what she was saying when she wasn't saying it.

"Good." He said eventually, and she could sense the smirk on his face. There were some things she didn't need to see him in front of her to picture. She could see that cocky little smile on his face, and it made her smile too. "So, what's up?" He asked after another minute, and she remembered that she hadn't called to catch up.

"This is actually more a professional call." Brody admitted quietly, still a little glad she was the only one in the room. She wasn't sure where the others were right now, but they each had their own thing to be working on right now. She didn't have the time to worry about them right now.

"Oh? This should be interesting." That annoying lilt in his voice was back. He loved when she had to ask him for help, and he loved being able to tease her about it for a good time after it.

"You ever heard of a freelance journalist and blogger called…" She had to scramble for the file again, as she suddenly completely blanked on the name. That was more than a little embarrassing, and she was glad that nobody else had been answering her calls. Pittsburgh seemed like a long way away now. "Jonah Penn."

"I heard of him, I don't really know him." That wasn't exactly the answer she'd been hoping for, but it was a big world, so there were going to be some journalists James didn't know. However disappointing it was to hear it when it happens. "A lot of people don't like him, I don't like his journalism."

"Jay, that hardly makes him special." She couldn't help but burst out laughing at that. She looked over at the door to see if the person coming in was Pride, which would have had her turning speaker phone off quickly. However, it was just LaSalle, so she left it on. "What do you know about him?"

"Not much, he thinks he's a whistleblower, I think he's a pain in the..." James started, and one look at LaSalle told her that they both knew where James was going, and that cutting him off probably would have been a better idea.

"Hey James." LaSalle said, distracting everyone and reminding James that he wasn't always the only one on a call with her, especially when she was at work. Though, given that she'd woken James up, she was willing to bet he hadn't fully realised that she was at work right now.

Clearly though, James was more awake than she had given him credit for, because the giggle she heard told her that he'd thought of something that would make them all laugh. "Hey LaSalle, I can see your dick." Came suddenly a few seconds later, and both agents doubled over laughing. The reference to an old joke they'd found enough to make them all laugh.

"That joke is not getting old." LaSalle laughed, then he looked at Brody and she could tell he was wondering why she was on a call to Dubai in the middle of a case. After another few seconds he shook his head at her and spoke. "We're meant to be working."

"It's a professional call. MB wanted info on your victim." James said, and she thought for a moment and realised she'd never told James that Penn was their victim. She'd just mentioned his name, and that he was connected to the case. How had he figured that out, before she'd said anything.

"I never said he was a victim." She defended, looking at LaSalle but speaking in the direction of the phone. She kind of needed James to back her up on that, and for a moment she had the image of him saying nothing. He certainly seemed to stay silent for a long time.

"I'm a journalist, news travels fast." James said eventually, laughing slightly. That didn't tell her for certain, but she assumed that he'd checked his emails and found a few emails informing him of what was going on. Or maybe he'd googled it. That was the downside to journalists.

"Oh." Was all she could really think to reply. Sometimes James could just still surprise her, despite the 10 years they'd known each other. It was a relief to know that he could, but it was also annoying in situations like this.

"Before you ask, I know no rumours of what he was working on right now, it's been years since I've heard about him." She and LaSalle looked at each other and sighed, they both knew this was probably the last chance on the journalism angle. Clearly James was still thinking of something, as he made a noise before he continued speaking. "A lot of his big fans are anti-military extreme leftists though."

"And the extreme right isn't too fond of him?" LaSalle asked, already heading to his computer to start looking at anything on that possible angle. It wasn't likely to bring them anything, but it was better than nothing.

"You got it." James agreed, and the rustling against the phone told her that James was nodding, forgetting that they couldn't see him. They should start skyping more often, that way these little movements would actually mean something.

"Thanks, I owe you a drink next time you're in New Orleans." She told him and smiled. The truth was they would have gotten drinks anyway, but this way there was a verbal agreement, and neither of them could pretend it hadn't been said.

"I'll take it. Soon as I can MB." That was the one thing James always said when they were about to hang up and go back to their normal lives. It was one of the things that told her that he truly missed her.

"I know." She smiled, knowing that he would try to be there as soon as was humanly possible. Assuming that James was in fact human. She'd never been totally sure about that. The lack of sleep he needed always made her curious. "I'll call you when I'm done with the case."

She heard the laugh he let out and smiled a little. He knew she'd try, but the likelihood was that she would have another case showing up almost as soon as this was over. They both knew that. She would call him though, eventually. She always tried. "Sure, call me if you need any more journalist help."

"I will. Bye babe." She smiled as she hung up, then avoided LaSalle's eye for a few moments. Largely because she knew what was coming the moment that she looked at him, and probably before if she kept avoiding him.

"You could have called any journalist for information, and you call your ex?" LaSalle said, and she gave up avoiding him and just looked up then shrugged. There were simple reasons she'd called James, but now she needed to think of a way to explain it to him.

"How many journalists would you trust with your life?" That was probably the only way. She trusted James with absolutely everything, and that lead to the point where he was the one who she would call when she needed to talk. That was how she knew she could go to him for this.

"Fair point." LaSalle conceded a moment later then looked over his shoulder toward the back where she was assuming Pride was. "Pride won't like it."

"Pride doesn't have to know." Brody said a little menacingly, or at least that was how she hoped it came across. She needed to try and get that across. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Pride telling her about mixing business and relationships, not that he could really talk.

"Alright, I'll keep your secret." He groaned after a minute, probably remembering the sheer amount of dirt she had on him that she could tell their team. She would keep it for when she needed it, but it was a good threat to trot out every so often.

"You better." She smirked as Percy walked in, and realised that they would have something else to bicker about now. Besides, there were simply not that many journalists that any of them trusted. The fact they had one should really be celebrated, though Brody was fairly certain that she wasn't going to turn Pride's mind around on that, not yet anyway. She'd keep trying, maybe next time James was in town she could push that. For now though, he'd helped with the case, and that was important.


End file.
